Methods and apparatus for device capabilities discovery and utilization within a content distribution network

In a switched content delivery network having at least one node and a switching mechanism controlling delivery of programs to said at least one node, a method of operating said network comprising:

• receiving a plurality of programs at said switching mechanism;
• obtaining first information relating to video display resolution capabilities and conditional access capabilities of particular ones of a plurality of client devices serviced by said node at said switching mechanism;
• masking at least one of said plurality of programs based at least in part on said first information;
• obtaining second information relating to program requests from said particular ones of said plurality of client devices at said switching mechanism, said information indicating a request for a particular program from more than one of said particular ones of said plurality of client devices, said more than one of said particular ones of said client devices having at least one common video display resolution capability and no common conditional access capabilities;
• and
• based at least in part on said first and second information, said switching mechanism selectively switching at least one of said unmasked plurality of programs for delivery to said node, said selective switching comprising delivering:
• a multimedia stream comprising said at least one of said unmasked plurality of programs to said more than one of said plurality of client devices in a format which is compatible with said common video display resolution capability and in a first conditional access format compatible with one of said more than one of said particular ones of said client devices;
• and
• at least data enabling decryption of said multimedia stream by said more than one of said particular ones of said client devices which are not compatible with said first conditional access format.

A method for operating a video processing device for use in a content distribution network, comprising:

• polling a set of components of said video processing device for video access and rendering capabilities thereof via at least one application on said video processing device;
• generating information relating to said video access and rendering capabilities based at least in part on a response to said act of polling, and providing at least a portion of said generated information to a network entity;
• comparing said at least said portion of information provided to said network entity with one or more attributes of a plurality of available content for viewing;
• marking one or more of said plurality of available content of said list, said marking configured to indicate one at least one compatibility between said one or more of said plurality of available content and said video processing device;
• receiving a list of said plurality of available content for viewing, said plurality of available content being selectively provided to said video processing device based at least in part on said comparison, said list comprising said marked one or more of said plurality of available content;
• receiving a user selection from said list;
• forwarding information to said network entity regarding said user selection;
• and
• receiving a multicast comprising at least one of said plurality of available content having a first format and having a first access scheme, wherein said video processing device shares at least one video access and rendering capability with a plurality of other devices also receiving said multicast, said shared at least one video access and rendering capability being associated with said first format;
• wherein said multicast further comprises key data comprising data configured to enable individual ones of said plurality of other devices not having said first access scheme to access said content.